Danish Prime Minister Says Greenland ‘Not for Sale’ as Trump Pushes for US Control

Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said, ‘We are ready to defend every inch of NATO, including our own territory.’

Denmark's Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen speaks during doorstep statements within the annual NATO Summit at Presidential Complex in Ankara, Turkey on July 8, 2026. Altan Gocher / Hans Lucas / AFP via Getty Images

Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen has promised to defend Greenland after U.S. President Donald Trump reiterated at the NATO summit his stance that the territory should be controlled by the United States.

“We are ready to defend every inch of NATO, including our own territory. ... Of course, we will defend the kingdom of Denmark,” Frederiksen said on July 8.

“We hope that all, including all allies, will respect the Greenland people’s right for self-determination,” Frederiksen said. “Greenland is, of course, not for sale.”

“One of the reasons why we have built NATO many, many years ago is if anything happens to one of us, then everybody should stand up for each other,” said Frederiksen, referring to Article 5 of the NATO charter, which enshrines the principle of collective defense.

During a press conference at the NATO summit in the Turkish capital, Ankara, Trump voiced his disappointment with the alliance over the issue of Greenland, which he says the United States needs to control for national security reasons.

“I’m not happy with NATO because of what they did with Greenland,” Trump said. “And I’m not happy with NATO because of the fact that they didn’t want to help us with the number one state sponsor of terror, that’s Iran. They were unwilling to help us.”

Trump, who has previously threatened to impose tariffs on countries opposing Washington’s acquisition of the territory, said he would be bringing up the issue of Greenland at the summit.

‘Greenland Is a Big Problem’

“Greenland is a big problem for us,” Trump said. “And the other big problem is the fact that when we wanted them [over Iran] … they all said no. … They weren’t there for us, and we’ve been there for them.”

Trump said the United States had spent more than $1 trillion to protect the NATO countries from Russia, adding that it had “nothing to do with us.”

Greenland straddles key sea lanes, including trans-Arctic shipping corridors, and is rich in critical minerals and rare earths.

The president first expressed his intention to buy Greenland in 2019, and the second Trump administration has voiced increased urgency in incorporating the world’s largest island.

As Trump ramped up pressure for the acquisition in January, the governments of Greenland and Denmark agreed to form a working group to find mutual agreement on the island’s future. Though the group has continued to hold talks, Trump has not abandoned the idea of a U.S. takeover.

Danish troops on board the frigate Niels Juel during a trip to Greenland in June 2020. Iben Valery/Danish Ministry of Defense

On Jan. 27, 2025, the Danish government announced plans to spend $2.05 billion on boosting its military presence in the Arctic.

Part of the money would be spent on three new navy vessels to patrol the Greenland coast, which would be equipped with helicopters and drones.

The Danish government stated it also planned to permanently site two long-range drones in Greenland “with the ability to conduct surveillance over large areas at great distances and provide detailed surveillance.”

But the commitment from Copenhagen does not seem to have satisfied Trump, who mentioned Greenland during a meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on July 7.

“Greenland doesn’t help Denmark. Denmark doesn’t spend money to really help Greenland, but it’s an important part for the United States,” Trump said during a bilateral meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Tuesday.

Greenland “should be controlled by the United States, not by Denmark,” Trump added.

In his push for the United States to assume control over the island, Trump has pointed to growing Russian and Chinese activity in the waterways of the High North. Trump has also argued that controlling Greenland would benefit his “Golden Dome” missile defense initiative, as it could host new missile launch early warning systems covering the Arctic Circle.

Shift in Defense Burden

Greenland is a semiautonomous territory that has belonged to the Kingdom of Denmark since the 18th century. A former colony, it was incorporated into Denmark in 1953, but was granted home rule in 1979.

Icelandic Prime Minister Kristrun Frostadottir said Greenland “belongs to the people of Greenland.”

“Russia is their biggest threat when it comes to these NATO allies,” Frostadottir said. “We need to focus on us and how we stick together.”

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said ‌last month that conversations with Denmark and Greenland were ⁠continuing.

Ryan Morgan, The Associated Press, and Reuters contributed to this report.